Although rooted in the past, Edenvale Winery is about being present. The winery is located on the heritage grounds and museum-grade Voorhies Mansion outside Phoenix, the first pear orchard in Oregon, dating back to 1885 (and also available at a secondary tasting room at the rustic-urbane Euro-enoteka on the plaza in Ashland). And, daily, they serve over 30 varietals—grown, crushed and squeezed, fermented, bottled and aged (four years plus in the barrel, and minimum two years in the bottle).

But Edenvale Winery is, by no means, stuffy or your grandmother’s vineyard. No, nearly every day, seems like a here-and-now celebration, with pop-jazz and classical music concerts to family hot-fun-summer slip’n’slide events.

The team at Edenvale is a dream team: Chef Scott Todd of Wine Country Catering prepares gourmet local, exceedingly fresh fare for monthly rotating winemaker dinners, Thespian Thursday theater events, and daily small plate pairings. Winemaker Ashley Campanella, heralded master of the “thick and chewy” ascended in 2008 after her long tenure as assistant, bringing technical and laboratory precision to balance the practiced palate and vineyard savvy of owner Anne Root.

Wine educator and sales director Lindsay Endiekat provided us a stylish six wine pour, ascending through a range of varietals, blends, flavors and textures: 2009 Viognier—an aged mouthful, unusual for whites. Fragrant and fruity nose with a dry, tart finish; 2013 Rose—light and refreshing five grape blend. Dry with mineral and fresh berry notes and rich mouthfeel; excellent with picnic fare; 2007 Grenache—dark and bright color, elegant dried fruit and spice; light, with texture, on the palate; Rogue du Rhone—local take on Cote du Rhone, a non-vintage Grenache, Syrah and Mouvedre blend.  Sensual butteriness, rich, with lingering caramel finish; 2007 Reserve Syrah—a hot year; rich and deep, with robust and penetrating masculinity; 2006 Reserve Syrah—contrastingly, a cool year, revealing a yielding elegance and femininity, unusual for Syrahs.  Thick and chewy, both; complex and evocative, in sequence; and, bonus pour, 2007 Reserve Merlot—2014 Double Gold Medal at San Francisco International Wine Competition. Truly superb—get this one while it lasts. Lush, creamy chocolate nose, ripe berry notes on the palette with velvety brushed leather finish.